


Back to the Basics

by Dinosaur_Hiding_In_The_Closet



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Daddy!Bill, Diapers, M/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Pacifiers, Regression, Stuffed Toys, little!dipper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-05-15 03:10:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dinosaur_Hiding_In_The_Closet/pseuds/Dinosaur_Hiding_In_The_Closet
Summary: Dipper becomes a very popular member of a regression social app and agrees to meet one of the admins for a Playdate. He doesn't yet know the admin is his University Professor Bill Cipher.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PinkPowerRanger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkPowerRanger/gifts).



Chatter stopped as soon as the slightest bit of blonde hair could be seen from the doorway. It's not that anyone was scared of Professor Cipher. Oh no. They just respected him enough not to take advantage of his laidback attitude.

“Alright class,” he said as he came in and put his book of notes on his desk. “Let's pick up where we left off.”

Professor Cipher was a strange man. An enigma really. He seemed like an open book, but when it got down to it, people realized they didn't know much about him. He had cats (he loved cats), he loved jokes, and he was a smart man. That was about it. 

As for looks, Professor Cipher could easily be above average. His Egyptian heritage led to a permanent golden tan to his skin and a fine mix of chiseled and rounded edges to his face. A single golden eye could be seen under the blond fringe that often covered part of his face. Most people wondered how he could see with it, but he managed just fine.

He was also impeccably dressed all the time. Well, all the time his students see him. Which, admittedly, wasn't a lot outside of class. 

He always wore dark dress pants as part of his ensemble. That and a pair of shiny black shoes. Some students had a running bet that he bought a new pair every week because it's been almost a year and they shouldn't be that clean and shiny. Above the belt, Bill was always partial to some type of yellow whether it be from a button up or a yellow sweater vest. 

Another peculiar detail was that he always walked with a cane. He didn't seem to need it when he walked, but it was always there. His students learned to forget it. 

Now though, he grabbed a binder full to the brim of notes and seemed to find his place immediately. 

“Ancient philosophers! Can anyone name the few we spoke of last time?” He asked as he walked with his ever present cane to the front of his desk where he sat. 

Nobody was eager to jump in with their answer, but one hand shot up immediately. 

“You, kid. Uh...Pines correct?” He asked after a brief look at his role sheet.

The boy, Dipper Pines, nodded hesitantly. “Yes, sir.”

“Well, go on. Tell me.”

Dipper stuttered as he remembered their topic. “Aristotle, Democritus, and Epicurus.”

Professor Cipher pointed at the boy without looking up from his notes. “Correct!”

Dipper sighed as he took his seat again. He was a quiet, studious boy who looked oddly out of place in the sea of posh faces.

You see, to get into Gravity Falls University it was usually required to be invited or recommended by a member of the prestigious staff, or you paid your way in (as was the case 99% of the time). Dipper Pines just so happened to be part of the 1% that was invited in thanks to his exemplary research in astrophysics. Had it not been for his full scholarship, he would have had to kiss it all goodbye. 

Luckily though, he didn't have to. Still, he wished he knew who recommended him. They had a rule against that sort of thing for some reason. Dipper was shocked out of his thoughts by Professor Cipher’s voice. Cursing himself for zoning out in the middle of an important lecture, he began to mark down his notes again. 

~~~

Dipper sighed as he shut the door to his apartment behind him. Classes had felt so much longer that day. They always did on Wednesdays. Dipper supposed it was because his next set of classes weren’t until Friday afternoon and he was anticipating his small break. 

His keys clinked as he tossed them into the glass bowl next to his door before taking off his jacket. After he was settled, Dipper plopped into his chair in front of his computer and signed into ‘Regression4All.org’. He had only been a member for about six months so far, but he had grown a substantial number of followers since then. 5,362 to be exact. At first he had made an effort to communicate with each and everyone, but there were soon too many. And he also noticed most of them only followed for his pictures. Still, he kept in touch with a handful of his first followers and occasionally he’d reply to the new users who followed him. 

Looking in his inbox, he smiled at the message from ‘TriangleDaddy’. It was a bit odd, but Dipper found it had a nice ring to it. 

‘You had classes today, right? How did those go?’ The message read. 

‘Fine as always. Glad for the break though.’

Dipper hadn’t seen any harm in telling people he was a college student. A lot of members were. As long as he didn’t tell them where he went to college or his real name, he should be fine. TriangleDaddy seemed to be taking longer than usual to answer (or maybe Dipper was just being impatient), so Dipper took out his phone and the pacifier he kept on his bedside table. It had been a couple of days since he last posted something. 

Dipper put a lot of work into making sure nothing incriminating was in the background of the photo (he figured his hat was fine) and even more work into making sure he got the best shot. When he was satisfied with it, he shared the photo to his computer and posted it to his profile. 

It was simple, but cute. As was most of his photos. He had cropped it so that nothing above his lips could be seen so that his identity was safe, but the pacifier resting in his mouth did a nice job of distracting his followers from the lack of his full face anyway. Most of them respected his wishes for anonymity. Those who didn’t tried to message him with promises of secrecy or even money. Dipper was always polite in declining their offers. There had only been two times where they didn’t take no for an answer and all it took was a message to TriangleDaddy and the matter was handled. He would warn them about the rules against harassment and threaten to ban them from the sight. Dipper didn’t doubt that he would. He had seen people banned for things like that before. 

The Pines boy had to hand it to TriangleDaddy though. For only three admins, the website was miraculously well maintained. He hadn’t yet had the opportunity to chat with the other two admins, but the way TriangleDaddy spoke of them led Dipper to believe that they were all close friends. 

‘Adorable pic, PineTree <3\. Get bored waiting for me?’ TriangleDaddy sent him shortly after. 

‘Mmmm. Maybe?’ 

‘Sorry about that then. A colleague of mine stopped by on their way home.’

‘I can let you go if it was something important.’

‘Nothing is as important as our chats, buttercup.’

Dipper laughed out loud at that. TriangleDaddy often tried to fluster him. While he succeeded most of the time, there were some attempts Dipper just found comical. 

‘No dice, Daddy.’

‘Darn. I thought for sure that would work!’

‘Lost me at buttercup.’

Dipper soon lost himself in the conversation with TriangleDaddy. Hours slipped by in a haze until the sun had gone down. It was only when TriangleDaddy had asked him what he ate did he realize he didn’t eat anything at all in his excitement to get home and chat with him. When he told this to the admin, he was surprised with the forcefulness in his answer. 

‘PineTree! You shouldn’t put me above your personal needs! Go eat something now!’

Dipper’s surprise lasted him all the way until he was sitting back in front of his computer with a plate of leftover takeout. It seemed that TriangleDaddy had left him a message to come back to. 

‘Sorry. That was a bit rude.’

‘I deserved it for neglecting myself.’

Dipper watched the ellipsis on the screen with growing anxiety. He had to admit, TriangleDaddy had a strong influence on him. Part of him wanted to please the other man so badly. 

‘No, no, no. That’s not it at all! CGs aren’t supposed to be like that. I let my emotions go too far.’

He spent the next hour reassuring Dipper that he wasn’t angry or anything which made Dipper feel a lot better. 

‘Now, I ought to let you get some rest. Sleep well, PineTree.’

As the Pines boy signed off, he felt the absence of tension in his body. Talking with TriangleDaddy always did that for him. Sleep came easy that night. In fact, chatting with TriangleDaddy relaxed him so much that he almost missed class that Friday afternoon! He barely had time to get dressed, so he sacrificed his usual shower to make up for time. He pulled his blue hat over his oily hair to hide it and was thankful Professor Cipher was never that strict. 

Professor Cipher didn't mind his hat. In fact, he took one look at the hat and stopped looking at Dipper all together. The young Pines found it quite odd. Usually, seeing as how Dipper was Professor Cipher’s smartest students, he give him a glance or two every few minutes to make sure he was grasping the material. 

Dipper had tried catching the teacher's eye, but he wasn't having it at all. In fact, class was dismissed early that day...Was Professor Cipher sick? Did Dipper do something wrong? 

He didn't get an answer as he left and went home to ponder on the strange behaviour. 

He felt his mood dampen upon walking to class the next day to see that class had been canceled. No warning whatsoever. Just canceled. His next class wasn’t until four hours later, so the Pines twin walked home in a funk. Craving a pick-me-up, he messaged TriangleDaddy. 

‘Around for a chat?’

‘Always, Sapling. Aren’t you in class now?’

‘Class canceled.’ 

There was a small pause that made Dipper’s pout grow. 

‘Sorry to hear that, sapling. Need me to take your mind off it?’

‘Please.’

‘Well, I’m in the Oregon area. How about you?’

‘Same.’

‘...How about we plan a playdate.’

‘Playdate? Like in person?’ Dipper bit his lip nervously. 

‘Yep! Hit it right on the nose, sapling!’

Dipper was understandingly hesitant. The whole time he chatted with TriangleDaddy, the man hadn’t mentioned anything about meeting in real life. Suddenly he just up and decided he wanted to meet?

‘Why now?’ Dipper couldn’t help but ask. 

‘We’ve known each other for a few months now. I figured we have enough chemistry to meet.’

‘I don’t even know your real name.’

‘It’s Bill.’

‘Seriously?’ Dipper was sceptical seeing as how Bill was a very common name. Like John. 

‘Yep! What about you? Or should I just call you PineTree forever?’

‘Everyone calls me Dipper.’

‘Why’s that? Long story?’

‘Birthmark.’

‘Cute. Will I see it?’

Dipper rubbed at his forehead self consciously. It had been the subject of harassment back in highschool. It was mainly the reason he wore his hat all the time...Here Bill was, praising it and seemingly eager to see it. ‘I guess so.’ He replied hesitantly. 

They chatted longer and Bill finally managed to persuade Dipper to meet in person. 

‘You can leave immediately if you don’t like what you see.’  
‘I won’t pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to.’  
‘We don’t even have to do anything like that if you don’t want to.’

While Bill convinced him to agree to the playdate, he sure did give Dipper a lot of excuses to opt out of it. Dipper took that to mean he was sincere in his desire to get to know Dipper more than to take advantage of him. 

They decided the next Wednesday would best suit both of their schedules. And the Cafe right by the University would be the best meeting spot. It was private but public enough for Dipper to feel comfortable. Bill would wear a nice blue button up and Dipper would wear his pinetree hat. They'd talk, and if they clicked they'd go from there. 

Dipper was a nervous mess when the time to go to the Cafe came. In days leading upnto it, Professor Cipher came back to class with no explanation as to why he was gone in the first place. And he acted as if nothing ever happened. 

“Where were you, Professor?” A girl with an incredibly large panda sweater on. 

“Next question! Pines? Question?” 

Dipper didn't have a question prepared but managed to scrape together a, “Is there any homework we missed getting assigned?”

“Nope! Not at all! Next question!”

The same girl raised her hand. 

“Ms. Miranda if this is another question about my absence then I will assign a 100 page research paper due tomorrow.”

The same girl put her hand down so hard it made a large SMACK sound as it hit the table. 

And they didn't mention it since. 

~~~

Dipper’s phone alarm went off letting him know he'd be late if he didn't leave now. So, after checking his hair one last time in the mirror, he grabbed his apartment key and walked out the door. The walk was short and he was there in under 5 minutes. Bill wasn't there yet, so Dipper settled into a booth at the back of the cafe and waited. It seemed he had been earlier than expected, so Dipper got his phone out and started to play a little bit of Ocarina of Time using the emulator he had recently downloaded. The controls were a bit difficult to get used to, but he was quickly sucked into it. 

It wasn't until he heard someone slide into the other side of the booth that he looked up and saw the blue button up. A shy smile overtook his face until he saw who it was who sat across from him. 

“Professor Cipher?”


	2. Chapter 2

There he was, Dipper’s teacher, sitting right across from him. There was no mistake as to why. He was wearing the blue shirt. And by the way he was holding his hands up, he noticed exactly how close Dipper was to sprinting out of the cafe. 

“Wait, let me explain!” Professor Ciph- no. TriangleDaddy asked. 

“Explain? You mean...you knew?! For how long? All this time I thought…” Dipper shook his head and went to stand, but Bill's gentle hand rested against his own and stopped him. 

“Dipper, I know you're upset but please let ne explain! If you don't like what I have to say, you can leave.” Bill almost pleaded. 

Reluctantly, Dipper nodded and slid back into his seat. Bill's hand on his calmed the tremors that wracked his body. 

“I didn't know until last week...You wore the same hat from your picture. So I stayed at home for the next class just to see...then you messaged me…”

“But you didn't tell me? Instead you proposed this scheme to get me to come here?”

Bill shook his head and gave Dipper’s hand a small squeeze. “No. It wasn't a scheme. At first I debated switching you to another Professor, but I knew that wouldn't be fair to you. And…” 

The young Pines twin furrowed his brow in confusion at the pause. “What? What else is there?”

“I admit, I'm selfish and I don't believe I can go back to the way things were before you caught my attention.” Bill admitted with pink tinting his cheeks. “Your paper was phenomenal. Miles ahead of your peers.”

“My paper?” Suddenly, it clicked in Dipper’s mind. “Wait! Were you the one who recommended me?!”

All this time Bill had given no indication of having known Dipper at all. Hell, he barely knew his name in class! 

“I couldn't play favorites, but yes. I did. I read over a hundred papers a year, Dipper. But none of them were as well thought out and executed like yours.” Bill's eyes sparkled with pride. “And you've continued to amaze me.” 

Their moment was ruined as a waitress came over to ask for their order. She was young and most likely new. Her eyes darted down to look at their clasped hands. “Uh...would you like to...hear the specials?” She asked flustered. 

Bill barely spared her a look as her turned to Dipper. “Are you hungry?”

Dipper wanted to say no purely to get the girl to leave so he could continue questioning Bill, but his stomach spoke for him by emitting a loud growl. “S-sorry…”

The look Bill gave him could only be the equivalent of the way a drowning man looks at a life jacket. His smile never wavered. “Well that settles that now doesn't it?” 

Dipper wasn’t able to protest before Bill was ordering for the both of them. “I'll take a black coffee and he'll have a…” He paused to look at Dipper and said student wasn't sure if it was for him to say what he wanted or if Bill was just deciding. “He'll have a glass of orange juice. No pulp, please. We'll both have the breakfast special.”

That answered that question. 

The girl wrote down the orders swiftly and was gone without so much as a word. 

“I...you didn't have to do that…” Dipper almost pouted. He wasn't sure if he was pouting for the sake of hiding how warm Bill ordering for him made him feel, or to hide his surprise seeing as how Bill knew exactly what he wanted. 

The smirk on Bill's face proved he wasn't fooling anyone. “I wanted to. I got you to come here, and regardless of how this all ends, I at least want you to be satisfied when we leave.”

“How did you even know what I wanted?”

The smirk grew. “You've told me before that you don't like coffee that much and that you love orange juice but the pulp grosses you out. And everyone loves pancakes!”

“So you come here often enough to know what the breakfast special is without even asking?”

This made Bill sheepish. “It's a nice atmosphere. I usually come here to grade papers on the weekends. The owner knows me by name.”

“Bill Cipher! I did not expect to see you here today! It's only Wednesday!” Came a loud voice from across the counter. 

“Tad Strange! You knew I'd be here! I told you I would!” Bill said in response. 

Dipper looked over to see an average looking man with gelled black hair walking over while carrying a tray with their food on it. It was then he realized what Bill had said. He told this man (Tad Strange?) that he'd be here? 

The man sat their plates in front of them with their drinks before sliding into the booth next to Bill. He completely ignored what Bill had said and immediately looked at Dipper. “So this is him? PineTree?”

Dipper froze. He hand midway to grab his juice. Bill told. His heart dropped. Why had Bill told? 

Said professor seemed to realize Dipper's worries. His hand squeezing his to get Dipper's attention. “This is another admin. Username BreadTaddy. Remember him?”

Dipper nodded. Of course he did. BreadTaddy was the one who sent him a message after every 1000 followers. 

“Congrats on your first thousand followers!”  
“Already up to 2 thousand? Nice!”  
“Another thousand followers in less than a month!”

And so on. 

Still, Dipper wasn't prepared for someone else to know his face. “I'm gonna go.” He said as he stood suddenly and took his hand out of Bill's grip. 

Tad took the chance to stand as well. “No, no, no. I'll go. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you off. I was just excited for Bill and wanted to see the one who's captured his attention.” He turned and walked back behind the counter before anyone could say anything else. 

“Dipper…” Bill said and continued when Dipper looked at him. “I didn't think he'd come out here. I only told him because I was excited to finally realize you were PineTree. Believe me, I'd never want to put you in a situation where you were uncomfortable.”

Dipper realized his hands were shaking when Bill stilled them with his own. “No more interruptions. I swear.” 

The desperate look on his face made Dipper sigh as he sat back down. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to run off like that.”

“You were scared. That’s perfectly okay!” Bill reassured. “Now how about we eat breakfast while we talk about what you like?”

To answer, Dipper stabbed a piece of pancake onto his fork and shoved it in his mouth. “You go first!”

Dipper had to admit that talking to Bill about his ‘little’ interests was hard. Everytime one of the other patrons in the cafe so much as coughed, he clammed up as if what he was saying was being broadcasted across the world. Bill was patient with him though, which made Dipper feel better about the whole thing. Occasionally, Bill would make a note on his phone, but he assured Dipper it was only so he wouldn’t cross the boy’s boundaries accidentally. 

“They’re basically rules for me.” Bill said as he marked down yet another one. 

“Speaking of...uh...What kind of rules would you have for me?” Dipper asked hesitantly. He knew he wasn’t a complete brat when it came to little space, but if Bill was overbearingly strict, it would be hard to relax enough to fully be himself. 

It seemed he didn’t have to worry about that as Bill started listing off his expectations. 

“No disobeying my rules to you is definitely number one. I put them in place for your protection. As for number two, there are certain rooms in my home that are off limits, so I would appreciate it if you didn’t sneak off. Third, tell me if I hurt you or cross a boundary in any way! Fourth is pretty much common sense. Don’t purposefully break anything, write on anything that isn’t blank paper or coloring books, or hurt my cats.” He listed each rule off on his fingers which made Dipper smile. 

“Sounds like you’ve covered all your bases.” He chuckled. 

Bill gave him an exhausted look. “You have no idea. This isn’t my first playdate and I’ve learned that littles tend to go crazy if not given any rules. Not that I think you’re unruly or anything. I just want to avoid unpleasant experiences. This is supposed to be fun for the both of us.” He paused as he assessed Dipper’s face. “That being said, are you prepared to come home with me and try for an actual playdate?”

Dipper was surprised with the lack of hesitation he felt when he said, “Yes.”

The smile Bill gave him assured him that he had made the right choice. “Come on then!” He said as he stood from the booth. 

“Wait! Don’t we have to pay for the food?” Dipper asked casting a glance at their two empty plates. 

“Already handled! They know my information by heart here!” His enthusiasm was contagious and Dipper stood with him without a second thought. Having walked to the cafe, he didn’t have to worry about any car being left in the parking lot. He wasn’t surprised with the yellow car Bill led him to. What surprised him was the way Bill opened his door for him and buckled him into his seat. When the student looked at Bill for an explanation, all he got was a wide smile. 

“Playdate starts now!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the late update. I've been preoccupied the last few days.

Dipper looked out the window as the scenery rushed past the vehicle. He played a small game with himself pondering where exactly Bill lived. Everytime the car slowed down, he looked towards the nearest building. Some he dismissed straight out. Bill would never live in a green house. Bill wouldn’t let his garden become so weed infested. Bill doesn’t have a dog (especially not a chihuahua). Said Professor seemed to pick up on Dipper’s little game and seemed glad to help out. 

“Do you think it’s that house right there? With the black gate?”   
“No. There’s a tire swing out front. You have no real children.”

“You got me there. How about the yellow one there? I like yellow.”  
“Yeah, but you wouldn’t put a giant cactus right by the gate.”  
“Why wouldn’t I? Some cacti have healing properties!”  
“Cats can swallow the needles. You wouldn’t put your cats in danger.”

“Fair enough. Blue fence?”  
“Grass is overgrown.”

This continued and Dipper realized Bill had been driving in a circle. When he asked why, Bill smiled cryptically. “You haven’t figured it out yet. Last guess. If you get it, I’ll give you a special treat.”

Dipper’s eyes widened. A special treat? He was regressing before he even knew what was happening. Something about the idea of a treat made him feel so giddy. 

“Uh...That white one?”  
“What about it?”  
“It had yellow curtains hanging in the windows. And there’s a paw print sign hanging on the door.”

Bill didn’t tell him if he was correct. Instead, he pulled into the driveway and unbuckled his seatbelt. “You got it, kiddo! Now let’s get inside!”

The ball of energy that was Bill helped Dipper out of the car and made sure he had a tight grip on the boy’s hand before he led the way up the steps. Meanwhile, he praised him the entire way.

“Such a smart boy. A little sleuth aren’t you?” He cooed. The door shut with a gently sound behind them. Dipper couldn’t help but turn his head every which way to look at everything. Even with how simple and plain everything was, there was no mistaking whose house he was in. There were several paintings of landscapes hanging on the walls and Dipper couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of what must have been hand painted portraits of Bill’s cats. Only Bill.

Bill allowed him a few more minutes of looking before tugging his hand towards a hallway. “We can come back later, Kiddo. Right now, we should get you dressed in more appropriate clothes.”

Nothing could have prepared the Pines twin for what waited for him in the first room to the right of the hall. The walls were a nice baby blue color with fluffy smiley faced clouds painted on. On the far wall, a big yellow sun sat with a white crib in front of it. There was a changing table of matching color against the left wall and a toy box along the right one. A smiling Sun rug sat in the middle of the room and Dipper wondered if it felt as soft as it looked. He didn’t know for sure if the closet was door on the same wall as the toy box, but there wasn’t a dresser anywhere else in the room. 

Again, after his minute of observation, Bill brought him to the changing table. “Now, do you still want me to change you? It’s okay if you changed your mind.”

“I didn’t. I want you to do it if that’s okay…” Dipper said giving Bill an opportunity to back out. It seemed the offer wasn’t going to be taken as he was lifted from the ground and sat on top of the changing table’s softly padded counter. Nimble hands worked on his belt buckle and had it off in less than a minute. 

“Stop me if you need to.” 

“...’Kay…” 

The padding of the table was soft on Dipper’s back and left him feeling small and content. The actual diapering process itself was pretty fast in Dipper’s opinion. Of course, he had never had someone change him before, but he had hardly noticed his pants being slipped off his legs. The next thing he noticed was a diaper being taped onto his hips. It was as if his brain wandered to keep him from freaking out about being completely exposed in front of not only TraingleDaddy, but the same man who was his college professor.

“What shall we wear, baby boy?” Bill asked as he removed Dipper’s shirt and hat. 

“I dunno…” He replied far too distracted with running his fingers over the seams on the changing mat. 

Whatever Bill suggested next, Dipper nodded along with. He didn’t register the words, but figured he didn’t have to worry about Bill putting him in something too embarrassing. He was right. A soft white shirt with yellow trims was pulled over Dipper’s head and his arms were limp as they were maneuvered inside. It had a duck on the front. It was cute. 

Next came a light blue pair of shorts that Dipper was honestly surprised fit over his diaper. The waistband peaked out the top and the bulge was unmistakable, but Dipper felt better for not being completely exposed. It seemed Bill knew he wasn’t prepared for a onesie or footed pajamas. The outfit he wore now was just the right amount of babyish while still being actual clothes. 

“There you go, Pinetree! Now let’s get you settled with some toys while I get your surprise ready!”

Dipper was right about the rug being super soft. It felt nice on his bare legs and feet. Bill opened the lid of the chest, but didn’t take anything out. “Play with whatever you want, kiddo. I’ll be right back okay?”

“ ‘Kay.”

Dipper waited for the professor to leave the room before he scooted over to the open chest and peered inside. The contents made his jaw drop. Anything he could think of was sitting there at his disposal! Blocks, stuffies, even a few Barbies neatly put away in plastic cases. He brushed over them not wanting to ruin them in anyway. Instead, he pulled out the plastic bag filled to the brim with colored blocks. Once he had those out, he almost closed the lid. However, a small glint caught his attention. Upon further inspection, he found a stuffed Llama looking out at him. When he pulled it out, he saw its fur was remarkably soft and pink. Almost like cotton candy…

He placed it in his lap as he unzipped the plastic blocks case. It felt right. Hm...He’d have to give it a name…

Before he could think of such a name, he heard a small ‘Mrow’ from the doorway. Turning his head faster than he thought he could, he saw a pair of green and a pair of blue eyes staring back at him. 

“Kitties!” He gasped. 

This seemed like all the encouragement they needed before they strutted into the room. A munchkin Siamese cat with a fluffy Birman on its heels. They took immediate attention to the regressed student. Automatically demanding his attention, they climbed into his lap (Joining the pink plushie) and started to rub against his waiting hands.

“Ooo! Hehe! Soft kitties! Warm kitties! Little ball of furs!” He began to sing. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of eyes watched from the doorway in surprise. Never before had Bill’s cats warmed up so fast to a stranger. Not even his other playdate partners! He knew there was something different about Dipper. He just had a way with people and animals. Bill wished he could take a picture of the beautiful sight, but he wouldn’t invade Dipper’s privacy like that. Not even with a secure phone.

He allowed himself to look for a little longer before stepping into the room. “Wow! Seems like they really like you!” Part of him felt guilty for spooking the poor boy when he jumped, but he was relieved to see his cat Phebe rubbing herself against Dipper’s neck to catch his attention. “Sorry, kiddo. I was just surprised. They usually are very hesitant around new people.”

“But they aren’t now…?” Dipper questioned. 

“Because they like you! I wonder why. I mean, I adore you, but it usually takes some convincing for them!” Bill smiled and ran a hand through Dipper’s short hair. “Anyway...Are you ready for your surprise?” 

“Mhm! Yes please!”

“Such good manners! How am I supposed to refuse!” 

“Mmmm...Not s’posed to?”

The chuckle Bill let out filled the entire room. “Fair enough, Pinetree. Well, come on then!” He beckoned Dipper over with a hand, but helped the boy stand anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

Dipper was glad when Bill didn’t release his hand even when he stood up. Instead, he was led into the kitchen. 

“Now, this is a room that is very off limits unless I am with you! Got it?” Bill asked the curious boy.   
“Got it...Is my surprise in here?” Dipper couldn’t hide his eagerness. 

“So impatient, Kiddo! I said I’d show you didn’t I? You just have to wait.” The professor teased lightheartedly. 

Sufficiently chastised, Dipper couldn’t help but pout with a quivering lip. “I’m sorry.”

“Buddy, no,” Bill rushed to sooth the sensitive boy. “You’re just excited! I know you want to see it! Now why don’t you close your eyes while I show you?”

Dipper covered his eyes with his hands as he waited anxiously. He heard Bill open the fridge before placing a heavy sounding plate onto the granite countertop in front of him. 

“Feast your eyes!” The older man said dramatically as was his usual style. 

The Pines boy didn’t need to be told twice as he jerked his hands to his sides. In front of him sat a large plate stacked high with vanilla cupcakes with white icing.

“Oooo!” Dipper gasped in amazement. “Cupcakes! Can I have one? Can I have one please?” His voice was pleading and excited. Bill couldn’t resist him if he tried. 

“Go sit at the table and I’ll get you one, buddy.” The blonde said calmly. The words had barely left his mouth before Dipper clamoured into a chair at the large round table. Bill was surprised he was able to sit without falling given how much he was shifting in excitement. Still, he grabbed a plate from the cabinet and took the cupcake from the very top. He had made them himself earlier that morning was was excited to see Dipper’s reaction to them. 

The other boy didn’t wait as he dug into the sweet treat. Icing landed on his chin without a care in the world. “Mmm! Yum yum yum!” He babbled with a mouth full. Bill scolded him lightly for talking with his mouth filled, but there was no heat behind the world. Truthfully, he was pleased that Dipper enjoyed the cupcakes. 

He stood there watching Dipper as the boy finished the sweet treat and licked the fallen icing on his chin. “Can I have another?” DIpper asked. It was so shy and quiet that it made Bill’s heart melt. 

“Just one more. I wouldn’t want you to ruin your appetite for dinner.” 

The look Dipper gave him was as adorable as they come. 

Sure enough, when the cupcake was finished, Bill led Dipper into the living room and sat him down on the soft carpet in front of the coffee table. The cats wasted no time in running up to Dipper and demanding his attention. 

“Phebe and Toffee really like you don’t they?” 

He received a giggle in response as Dipper pet both of the cats at once. “Soft kitties! Fluff!”

Bill smiled and ruffled the other boy’s hair. “Sweet boy. I’ll put on a movie for you okay?”

“Kitty movie!”

It wasn’t a very descriptive request, but Bill figured Dipper would be okay with anything as long as there were cats in it. Walking to his movie cubbard he pulled out every movie he had that had a cat as a main character then worked from there. Finally, he whittled it down to three choices. Aristocats, Oliver, and Milo and Otis. Figuring he’d let Dipper decide, he walked back over and held the cases up. “Which one, kiddo?”

Dipper tore his attention away from the eager cats to inspect each one. “Uh...uh...uh...that one?” He asked pointing to Oliver. 

“Oh! This is one of my favorites! Now, do you wanna lay down here and I’ll get some blankets and pillows, or do you want to climb up on the couch to watch it?” Bill always found that giving new littles options helped them feel less overwhelmed with giving up control to someone. 

“Couch…”

Sure enough, after Bill had the movie in and going through the previews, he picked Dipper up and set him onto the couch. 

“Watch it with me?” Dipper asked with wide eyes when It seemed Bill was going to leave. 

“I will, bud. Don’t worry. I’m just going to get some drinks okay?”

He waited until Dipper turned his attention to the TV before going into the kitchen. He settled for a simple bottle of water for himself, but grabbed a yellow sippy cup from the cabinet for Dipper. After debating what to fill it with, he decided on chocolate milk. Dipper seemed to like it when he handed it over to him. He let out a surprised hum before securing both of his hands onto the cup to take another sip. 

Bill settled into the spot next to him right as the opening scene began to play. This displeased Dipper who threw a betrayed look his way before scooting over and settling into Bill’s side with his knees pulled up on the next cushion. Phebe and Toffee found their spots in both boy’s laps as soon as they settled in place which made Bill smile. He had all his favorite people near him. His cats, his baby…

Distantly he registered that he had just called Dipper his but found he didn’t care. He had spent months speaking to him behind a computer screen. He wasn’t going to let him go so easily. Well, unless Dipper didn’t enjoy their time together and decided to break contact. Bill knew it would hurt, but he’d allow it. Hell, maybe he’d even turn in his resignation. He wouldn’t jeopardize Dipper’s college for his petty feelings. 

A sniffle shook him from his thoughts. Looking down, he saw Dipper with his lip quivering and tears welling in his eyes. 

“Kiddo, what’s wrong?” He asked worriedly as he paused the movie. Dipper surprised him by yelling, “No!” at his actions. “Dipper what’s wrong!?”

Those teary brown eyes turned to Bill and his arms tightened around Phebe. “N-Nobody w-wanted the kitty!” 

“Oh, Dipper,” Bill said softly. “It’ll be okay. It gets happier!” 

Truthfully, Bill hadn’t even thought about how sad the start of the movie seemed. Part of him wanted to turn it off and choose something happier just to make Dipper smile again, but based on the reaction him pausing the movie got, he wouldn’t be able to. 

“B-But...the kitty...he’s scared a-and wet and…” Another sniffle came as one of Dipper’s fists came up to wipe at his eye. “It’ll get better?”

“I promise, baby boy.” Bill assured as he pressed a gentle kiss to the boy’s head. 

“ ‘Kay…” Dipper finally agreed.

Bill was hesitant to start the movie up again, but wanted Dipper to see that it did get better for the poor little kitten. Sure enough, Dipper’s mood cheered up. So much so that Bill felt the laughter shaking his shoulders. 

By the end of the movie, Dipper had a sleepy smile on his face and was lazily petting both cats. 

“See? Did you like the movie?” Bill asked as he pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and laid it over Dipper. The cats moved to accommodate and settled around Dipper’s body. 

“Mhm...Oliver happy now right?” He asked with a yawn. 

“Of course, baby boy!” Bill made sure to keep his voice quiet as he stood up and ran a hand through Dipper’s hair. Said boy closed his eyes contently. “After your nap we’ll play some more, okay?”

“Mmm...Not nappin’.” Dipper protested. Even so, he snuggled closer to the kitties and sighed. 

“Sure you aren’t.” Bill cooed as he disappeared down the hall. He came back a minute later carrying a pacifier. Dipper accepted it readily and finally slipped into a blissful rest. It seemed Phebe and Toffee were going to follow him as they stretched out. “Watch over him you two.” He teased before going to the kitchen to tidy up the cupcakes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wasn't feeling the end of this, but I didn't really know what else to do with it. This happens sometimes. I get really excited for a new project, but I end up losing steam by the end of it. 
> 
> It'll be different for the next fic though.

The rest of the playdate went by peacefully. Dipper was a smiling ray of sunshine by the time the next morning came around. Bill reluctantly helped him dress in the clothes from the day before and offered to drive him home. Dipper was reluctant and explained that Bill had already done so much for him, but Bill wasn’t having it. 

“It’s not fair for me to make you walk back home after I was the one who drove you here. Consider it aftercare!”

“Aftercare?”

“Yes! Aftercare! Taking care of you after a scene ends? You know!” 

“Uh...not really?”

Bill pulled a dissatisfied face. “Remind you to link a few websites when you get home. Your knowledge is so bareboned it's ridiculous.”

It was Dipper's turn to make a face as he pouted. “I'm trying at least.”

“Aw, I know bud! I'm just teasing!”

“Bullying more like it.” Dipper mumbled as he bent down to give the cats rubbing against his ankles one last pet. “Bye Fee-Fee! Bye Toff!” 

Dipper had come up with the nicknames while deep in little space and Bill found it too cute to correct. And, well, if Phebe stopped replying to anything other than Fee-Fee, Bill didn't mind as long as he got to hear it from Dipper again. 

“You'll see ‘em around next time, kiddo!” Bill assured before he realized that “next time” implied that Dipper was going to agree. “If you want to that is…” He amended. 

Dipper gave a shy nod as he grabbed the Llama sitting on the couch. Bill had told him to keep it even if he didn't want to have another playdate. Dipper thought that was nice and hugged the stuffed creature close. With the way Bill had treated him so far, Dipper would agree to pretty much anything! The Pines twin knew he was lucky seeing as how he knew Bill wouldn’t take advantage of his trust. 

With a kind and gentle hand, Bill led Dipper out to the car and buckled him in like the day before. Somehow dipper believed that it was not only for him, but for Bill as well. As if the other man gained something from helping Dipper with such a simple task. It filled Dipper with a warm fuzzy feeling as he thought about it. They had a mutually beneficial relationship. It might seem a little unbalanced, but something told Dipper that Bill was just as fulfilled as he was. He could tell it was the beginning of something great.


End file.
